seriously. That was usually reserved for heartbreaks and or major life hiccups, her equivalent of the ubiquitous ice cream in movies.
“Ah…tea,” I said, not really wanting anything, but one didn’t say no to Beth McCreedy.
A cup was placed before me moments later, several of her biscuits on a plate next to it. Jai’s hand instantly went to take one, but she smacked him on the knuckles.
“Was it you that got in trouble today?”
“Well, no but—”
“No, you got to kiss it all better I’m guessing. You’ve had your sweets for today, now she gets hers.”
“Pretty sure she got some too,” Jai muttered, shooting me an impish grin.
“So you found out what’s happening in that place?” Rob asked. “Thanks, love.” He kissed Beth’s cheek when she put a mug of coffee in front of him. “I’ve notified the pack and the alphas are gathering, but Jackson’s had to go to town for dialysis treatment. I know you’ve already filled Jai in and you’ll have to again when the old fellas get here, but can you tell me what’s happened?”
It didn’t really get any easier with the telling. I’d told Janey the barest of details, given Jai a lot more, but they still hurt to come out. What Hollingsworth was doing, the way he was treating actual human beings was becoming clearer. He knew what Gaden was when they caught him, was deliberately targeting shifters. How did he even know there was such a thing? The packs were notoriously closed mouthed about these things. I was one of the few outsiders allowed to see the young guys shift, but never the senior men. That creepy look of his as he suggested… I shuddered, Jai’s hand rubbing across my shoulders.
By the time I’d finished, you could have heard a pin drop in the house, which for this place was stunning. It was always full of kids and music and family… Rob’s face looked like thunder, but Beth’s was scarier.
“I told you we shouldn’t have sent her there! She’s a bloody kid, not a pack spy! If we’d sent Jaz or one of the other girls, at least they could handle themselves. If they’d decided to… If she’d…” Her hands went to her face, covering her eyes for a moment as she scrubbed at them. “God, Rob, this is like the old country, with their purges and hunts. Every time I think we’ve got these fuckers beat…”
“That’s enough.”
Rob’s words were cold, hard, and unable to be argued with, but his face told quite a different story. His eyes were usually a deep brown, and only went gold or copper when he was shifting or particularly pissed. They were a bright metallic right now.
“Thanks, Shannon, for going in and getting this information. It’d be hard for us to get this kind of intel. We know a lot more about this Hollingsworth than we did before. That’s worth more than you know. We had an idea that they were holding shifters there, and now we know.” His eyes flicked to Jai. “You and the young blokes are gonna need to circle the wagons. You’ve never been to war before, but we have. Our ancestors fought to keep our people alive, and this is gonna be your fight. Shannon moves in with us or you.”
“What?” I said, shaking my head. “No, no, no, I’ve gotta go. Nan always said—”
“Your nan’s not here. Didn’t listen to her own damn advice at all, did she? People round here, the old timers, they knew what she was, what she did. Called her in when an animal went into distress mid birth or when they needed to stitch one up. She got them calm and kept them steady, before Fergal came to town. If what that wolf said is right, they want you most of all. If I had to take a guess, it’s something to do with babies.”
Gasps went up around the table.
“They’re all male…” Jai said.
“That place, it's a breeding facility,” Rob said. “He wants to make something, breed something from you.”
“Many somethings, if he’s got all that sperm saved,” Jai said.
“He was sending men out there to hunt down fucking tigers and lions? I don’t mean no disrespect, Shannon, but how will you stop him when they couldn’t?”
My arms wrapped around my stomach as I heard the whistle of the net, the wrap of those steely filaments around Gaden’s body.
“The pack protects, love,” Beth said more gently. “Always has, always will. You stick with us, we’ll keep you safe.